I have not posted in a while, been working a lot. So I thought I would pass on some information to the youngsters out there that may help on bullet selection. I welcome feedback because my experience may differ from that of others. Some people love to bang steel, while others like to punch paper at 1000 yards. For me, I really love thinking about and then developing a new load for a new gun. I will shoot hundreds of rounds just playing around. Some will say you are wearing out your barrel. True, but they make new barrels every day and that is what I enjoy.
Here is what I find time and time again. For example with a 6.5 PRC I can think about whether I want to shoot an 143 grain ELD-X, a 156 Berger, 140 grain Berger, Nosler Accubond etc etc etc. For me, once I pick a bullet that has a weight that suits the type of hunting I need, then I think about penetration. Do I need something that really penetrates well like for Brown Bear or African game (which I have not done yet just using for an example). Once I have a group of bullets that meet the criteria, I pick a stable powder. I start with pressure tests and rough seating depth testing. Then my most recent favorite think is an OCW test. When it is all done I am simply letting the gun tell me which bullet and which powder it like best. As some have said, the target and the gun do not lie. Sometime it is harder to tell what they are saying. But, they do not lie.
I am currently helping a 71 year old friend get ready for is first elk hunt, and he will need to shoot long range most likely due to his mobility. He does not reload, so I will help there too. He is all over bullet selection etc etc. I would tell someone one in his early 20s starting out the same as I am telling a 71 year old who is starting out. “Let the gun tell you what it wants to dance with on the hunt”.
Here is what I find time and time again. For example with a 6.5 PRC I can think about whether I want to shoot an 143 grain ELD-X, a 156 Berger, 140 grain Berger, Nosler Accubond etc etc etc. For me, once I pick a bullet that has a weight that suits the type of hunting I need, then I think about penetration. Do I need something that really penetrates well like for Brown Bear or African game (which I have not done yet just using for an example). Once I have a group of bullets that meet the criteria, I pick a stable powder. I start with pressure tests and rough seating depth testing. Then my most recent favorite think is an OCW test. When it is all done I am simply letting the gun tell me which bullet and which powder it like best. As some have said, the target and the gun do not lie. Sometime it is harder to tell what they are saying. But, they do not lie.
I am currently helping a 71 year old friend get ready for is first elk hunt, and he will need to shoot long range most likely due to his mobility. He does not reload, so I will help there too. He is all over bullet selection etc etc. I would tell someone one in his early 20s starting out the same as I am telling a 71 year old who is starting out. “Let the gun tell you what it wants to dance with on the hunt”.
